The sin of envy
by Rhaegal Nymeria Stark
Summary: Envy is a petty and abhorrent sin, but no one can escape it. Iroh is learning that now. Azula is the cause for envy of four people closest to her. (Hints of Azutara and one-sided Maiko and one-sided Maizula in later chapters) (Final Chapter up)
1. Ursa

Disclaimer: I do not own The Last Airbender

Summary: Envy is never something to be proud of. Unfortunately, the sin rules Three people and all because of Azula and she doesn't even know it.

Note: This Story is inspired by joyblue's, story "The Green Eyed Monster," a "Song of Ice and Fire" fic on "Archive of our own." Inspired, not stolen. Get it? Got it. Good.

**The Sin of Envy: A Character Study**

**Chapter One:**

**Ursa:**

Princess Ursa of the Firenation was by no means royalty. Oh, she was the granddaughter of Avatar Roku, but royalty, she was not. However, she was raised to be a lady, which certainly helped in luring Prince Ozai into marrying her, though if anyone asked her, she'd claim that it was force on Ozai's part. But, Ursa strived to act as a woman of royal blood was meant to behave. Even when she and her beloved Ikem had taken refuge in the Earth Kingdom, she conformed to the teachings her parents had impressed upon her. At least when she had met Ozai and Iroh there had been an excuse. Her manners and conformity had been for the sake of climbing the social ladder to one of the two possible future Fire Lords.

Azulon's manipulations had helped of course.

But as a result of conformity, for a time, and certainly now, she had everything she could possibly want. Envy naturally was an unnecessary emotion to harbor. Or it could have been had Ursa _truly _had everything. Well, everything…...didn't include the love of her oldest daughter.

Azula had been taken out of the mental facility and now was being kept under severe supervision. Supervision might not have been much when the only supervision that watching the firebender was the Avatar and his group, but oddly it was working a lot better than keeping the princess locked up.

Ursa's stomach turned when she thought about what Ozai had done to her daughter. He had pushed her…all that pressure that Ozai had put on their child, her mind had finally snapped. Ursa had tried to be a mother to Azula when she, Ikem and Kiyi had been brought back to the palace, but the willful firebender had scorned her mother, ignoring her ever since they came back from the Earth Kingdom.

Once again, Ursa didn't have a chance with winning Azula's love.

Then again, it's not like it was the first time that Azula had spurned her mother and intended to leave it at that. That was why Ursa realized that Agni was so cruel. Her daughter favored Ozai over her own mother and now she ignored Ursa at every turn.

Ursa had suspected from the beginning ever since she gave birth to Zuko that at least one of her children would prefer their father from her. She had always thought that it would be Zuko; he was a boy after all, and didn't all young boys aspire to be like their daddies?

She had been wrong.

Perhaps it was because she doted on the boy so much or perhaps because Ozai considered the little prince weak since the day the child was born, or perhaps it was because Zuko was so much like his blood father; Ikem that the boy took a natural liking to Ursa, rebuffing Ozai's attempted teachings.

So when Azula came along, a rather greedy part of the princess, assuming that her daughter would instinctively sway towards her instead of the girl's father, had been filled with unbridled joy.

She had been wrong of course. Very wrong.

Perhaps the blood of Sozin was so strong in Azula's veins that any attempt to coax the child from her father was futile. Azula was at Ozai's side every single second, following him like a lost little lamb-puppy. It made Ursa sick even back then. She knew what Ozai wanted for both their children. Ozai didn't see humans when he looked at Zuko and Azula. He saw weapons. Warriors meant to be forged in blood and fire. Ozai didn't even know the meaning of the word "love."

And he had brainwashed Azula.

Azula always claimed that Ursa never loved her, but how could Ursa ever show her daughter love when the little girl rejected her offerings of love, instead drifting more and more to an iron fisted tyrant?

Ozai had taken Azula from her when Azula was a little girl, and it now seemed that Ozai had stolen Azula from her once again. Now, a seventeen year old Azula pretended that Ursa didn't even exist. It seemed that Ozai had won again.

Ursa could forgive Ozai for usurping Iroh from the older man's birthright, she could forgive him for nearly destroying the Earth Kingdom, she could even forgive him for scarring Zuko and for exiling her.

But the scars that Ozai had inflicted on her by stealing Azula from her back then...and now, would remain permanent.

**Author's Note:**

**Well, I hope everyone liked it. There are more chaps coming and I just want to warn you that some characters are going to be OOC**


	2. Zuko-Chapter One

Summary: Envy wasn't admirable, and Zuko thought that he was over it, but he was wrong.

(The first of the two times when envy visits Zuko because of Azula)

**Envy: Zuko:**

A little sister. Zuko had always wanted that. Even when he was almost two years old, and the young prince started understanding what exactly a "little sister" was, he had always hoped that he'd have a baby sister to look after.

How happy the little firebender had been when Ursa had first carried Azula in her arms, bringing the baby over to Zuko, letting him get a look at her. The little prince had sworn an oath, (or at least as serious an oath as a child of that age could give) and vowed to protect his little sister from all. It didn't matter if it was from people or monsters, even the dragons that their mommy and uncle would tell him about in those stories, he would protect Azula till the day he died.

Now the word "failure" seemed to be imprinted into his skin. It was an invisible mark that no one else except Zuko could see. It wasn't like the burn that his father had branded onto his face as a sign of his disobedience. It was unseen to all except for him. Zuko could feel the word, "failure" imbedding itself into his skin, into his muscles and bones.

He had failed to protect Azula. He was a failure as a brother. He was trying desperately to be a good sibling to her now; tried to offer her gifts, tried to spend as much time with her as possible, or at least as possible for the Fire Lord, and would strive to listen to any qualms the younger royal might have.

He made this effort of course with Kiyi, but the fact that he had messed up so severely with Azula, and had failed to protect the girl from their monstrously abusive father, triggered an instinctive protective brotherly desire, especially given her more or less maddened state.

Though much less now than how she used to be. Being around Mai, Kiyi, Aang and his group and visits from Ty Lee at the palace seemed to help his sister.

Still it weighed heavily on the scarred Fire Lord. How could he not get at least one chance to make up for not looking after his sister, when she so easily let Toph, Sokka, Aang and Katara into her cold heart?

Zuko knew personally how hard it was to ignore Aang and his friends. It was so easy to let the four of them in and break down one's defenses. They were very good at that. But no matter how understandable Zuko knew it was, and no matter how relentless Aang's optimism, Katara's hope, and Sokka and Toph's ability to set a sort of camaraderie feeling between whoever they met, it never ceased to hit a pained cord within the Fire Lord when he watched the Gaang with Azula.

Why? Why was it so easy for Toph with the tactful attitude of a rock, Sokka, who was just as socially awkward as he himself was, and Katara and Aang who annoyed Azula unlike anyone else in the world to get under the princess's skin and actually more or less forced the girl out of her shell?

When he became the Fire Lord, Zuko had sworn to never let his envy and resentment get to him ever again, he was aware already of what a little brat he had been, uncaring for everyone else for his own personal gain and blaming Azula for his own faults. Now, it appeared that yet again there was another vow he had broken. Yet again, he had failed to be honorable and have clarity and own up to his personal failings. He had failed to be a brother to Azula. His sister was just reaping the benefits of Aang, Katara, Sokka and Toph being here at the palace. If he couldn't get Azula to open up to him, that was his own fault, his own flaws. Then again, who would blame Azula after Zuko neglected to protect her from Ozai?

He was the one who couldn't get Azula to open her heart to him. It wasn't Azula's fault that Toph, Sokka, Aang and Katara were just so much better at enticing reactions from his jaded sister.

The resentment and jealousy, however, was starting to boil up. When Zuko looked in the mirror, he was beginning to see shades of his old self. The one that was completely full of envy and discontentment. And it rose up within him whenever he saw Azula sitting and just listening to one of Sokka's dumb jokes before rolling her eyes or would watch Azula and Toph bicker, a smirk tugging at both young women's mouths as they clearly mutually enjoyed the banter.

Zuko knew it was only a matter of time before Sozin's blue dragon started whispering in his ear as he slept, lulling his dreams into darkness, twisting his mind. Zuko had sworn that he would be stronger than this.

He had failed again. He truly was a failure. Perhaps Ozai and Azula had always been right about him.


	3. Zuko-Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Own nothing

**Envy:**

**Chapter Three:**

Zuko knew it wouldn't hurt; lying never hurt him. He was just a horrible liar. That was to be expected though. He had inherited a lot from Ursa, his inability to lie well more than likely came from her. Still, when he told Mai that nothing was bothering him, the guilt shouldn't have consumed him like it did. He was only doing the honorable thing; looking out for his wife's feelings. But when the lie rolled off his tongue and past his lips, immediately causing the raven haired Fire Lady's eyebrows to raise in suspicion, he felt his cheeks begin to flush. He had never been an effective liar, but that didn't mean that he certainly hadn't tried in the past.

When he had found Aang and his group, he had told himself that that would be the end of his lies. He'd try not to ever lie ever again. He could go now and add that broken promise to the horde of vows that he had chosen not to fulfill. He certainly had a long list of shattered oaths.

The biggest of those broken pledges read as follows:

He would protect his sister from everything: failed.

He would stop lying: failed.

He would be a good big brother: failed.

He would stop being so resentful: failed.

He would not let Ozai's words affect him anymore: failed.

Despite the three years his uncle Iroh had told him he wasn't a miserable failure, Zuko could only sit back and watch the results of his actions, or rather, lack of actions. He could blame Azula all he wanted. He could blame Ozai all he wanted. He was an adult now, Zuko had to take responsibility for his actions and inactions now. He couldn't sway Azula to feel any affection for him, and he couldn't succeed in winning Mai's heart.

When he was a child, he had blamed Azula for making him look bad.

It was his own fault he couldn't do firebending katas as well as she could. It wasn't her fault she was born a prodigy and that he shirked his responsibilities and didn't attend firebending lessons as Ozai had instructed, therefore hindering himself and not being as efficient as his sister. He had chosen to ignore his responsibilities as prince and didn't practice katas, he didn't do nearly as well as his sister did, end of story. He was mature enough to admit that he had been the one that was mistaken.

He could blame Aang, Sokka, Toph and Katara for Azula opening up to the four of them and not him, but he had no one to blame but himself for not trying harder.

And it was only his fault...that...he hadn't won Mai's heart…and his own fault that when he brought Mai to climax, it was his sister's name who the Fire Lady uttered with such passion in her breath instead of his own.

Zuko was starting to accept that Mai had never loved him. But how could he have known if he hadn't started noticing it till now? Had he known, he never would have married the woman. It was too late now. Mai was five months with child. Zuko began to wonder what it would be like; acting as the Fire Lord and pretending his wife loved him and trying to be a good father when Mai was fantasizing about Azula and imagining raising her child with the princess.

He could brag all he wanted that he was the Fire Lord and that he had beat Azula in the Agni Kai…even though he knew it had never been him…it had been Katara that had won it, but he knew the truth. The papers might have been signed and the child by blood might be his, but Azula had won his friends and his wife. How could he sit on the throne, giving while he had to live with the knowledge that every time he brought Mai pleasure she was pretending that it was _Azula_ in _his_ place?

He had ascended to the throne that he had always thought about sitting on when he was a child, but there had been a price to pay. He had the power and the respect, but had lost a great deal of love.

Well…..Azula would debate that. According to her, he had all of their mother and uncle's love, Ty Lee and Mai had both betrayed her for Zuko, and he had the friendship of Aang and his group.

If only she knew the truth.

Then again, if Azula knew that Mai was in love with her, she'd laugh. The Fire Lord knew exactly how his sister would react. She would say that Mai had had her chance, and since Mai had already tried her lot with "Zuzu," it was too late. Zuko chuckled grimly at that thought. Irony, it seemed, had no bounds.


	4. Mai

**Envy: Chapter 4:**

**Mai:**

Being dignified was almost an unspoken law in the world of the upper class and royalty. "Behave and don't embarrass me and your father." Had been what her mother had always said to her before her parents had tended to their duties. This was a lesson that echoed in Mai's mind, surrounding her conscience for years now. No emotion, no passion, no pain, no "petty" matters, as her father had regularly drilled into his daughter's head. Mai never changed emotions, never changed her neutral countenance. Her inability to give further expressions than glaring and occasionally smiling was only a product of her upbringing, but that didn't mean that she couldn't feel such negligible emotions like jealousy.

Mai knew it was her own fault. She had decided of her own free will to save Zuko and betray Azula. She supposed that she was only watching the results of her foolishness.

Her whole life her heart had beat faster every time Azula entered the same room as her. Her whole life, Mai's breath had shortened whenever Azula came near her. She had told herself that it was just fear. Only fear. After all, Azula tended to strike cold fear into even the bravest of warriors and Lords; it wasn't a naïve assumption. Mai could hide the truth within herself for only so long. Her crush on Zuko was really just a crush.

It was Azula that Mai knew she had been meant to marry. Perhaps that was why Zuko's son or daughter seemed to weigh so heavily in her stomach, causing intense pains that she suspected even a pregnant woman on the verge of giving birth wouldn't experience. Her unending pains and the heavy black shame on her soul was penance maybe? Penance for betrayal to her true love? How should she know? While she, like all children of the Fire Nation had grown up with stories of Agni, spirits and dragons, she had no idea what their idea of judgment was. There were religions and theories, but she certainly had no idea.

Well, if her pregnancy pains weren't a punishment by Agni for her crime, she had a good idea of what exactly was. Even if she wasn't punished for this treachery by means of pregnancy and labor pains, then Katara the waterbender sharing Azula's bed certainly was the means that Agni was carrying out her sentence.

It wasn't like Mai had reacted when she found out. She never did.

The war that took place in the woman's heart however, was plenty proof for the ebony haired woman. As before, like when she was a little girl, Mai denied that she was jealous. She would not admit to such childish emotions. She told herself that the pang in her chest whenever she caught a glimpse of Katara straddling Azula's thighs as the princess sat on her silk and velvet bed, an adoring smile on the Southern water tribe woman's face as she stared down at her lover, hands grasping Azula's blank face in her hands, was nothing more than disgust over the display of sentimentality. She'd tell her self that the burning in her eyes whenever she caught Azula and Katara looking at each other for too long at the dinner table was just a speck of dirt or microscopic flecks of food caught in her eyes, not the welling of tears.

The most ridiculous lie Mai had ever told herself though, was when the Fire Lady finally collapsed against her and Zuko's bed, weeping into the pillow, flashes of Katara and Azula's unspoken relationship running through her mind and in desperation, the Fire Lady had repeated to herself over and over again that it was just mood swings from the pregnancy. Thank Agni for small favors, because Zuko was not near the room at the time and Ursa and her husband were out with their small daughter in the village nearby.

Azula and Katara were…somewhere; Mai was pretty sure she didn't even want to know anymore.

She had made the most obvious choice for her mate. Zuko was sweet, kind and had every aspect that her parents wanted in her husband and he was now Fire Lord. Mai had won the throne and the ruler of the Fire Nation, but Katara was the one that had gained everything that Mai ever wanted.

If Zuko, Ursa, Iroh or Ty Lee were to ever ask what was wrong, Mai's countenance would never change and she would keep feeding them her lies. But inside, her cracked and splintered heart couldn't take much more.

She wondered what would happen if she were to tell Azula one day. If she were to tell Azula that her heart and soul was in the princess's hands; that Azula could do with her heart and soul as the princess saw fit. Mai was pretty sure she knew how that would turn out. She had known Azula her whole life. She had a feeling she knew how her 'Zula would react. She had known before Boiling Rock, and afterwards, after she had betrayed her princess, she most definitely knew how Azula would act with such knowledge. She would make a point of how much she despised Mai and she would laugh. She would tell Mai that the assassin had her chance. The assassin chose, "Zuzu," and she would lie in the bed that she had made. That was exactly what the princess so eloquently would say.

How was it that Katara, a "savage" from the Southern Water Tribe; a group of people who lived in sealskin huts and furs, who had no concept of "proper" behavior or upper class had won Azula? Azula was a prodigy and a hero of the Fire Nation. How had someone like Katara won Azula's heart when Mai couldn't even get an ounce of respect from the princess? A Southern Water Tribe woman had earned the Fire Nation prodigy's love, and Mai was left with nothing...or what she felt was nothing. Then again, Azula would probably appreciate the irony. The erratic firebender always found it funny that someone as irresponsible as Zuko hadn't earned the crown and yet was Fire Lord and she herself, the hero of the Fire Nation, who had _blue fire_ was simply left with nothing except the Dai Li, her servants and her own Imperial Firebenders, nothing more. Given Azula couldn't prevent herself from pointing out this cruel irony almost every chance she got, perhaps Azula would enjoy the irony of owning Mai's heart, but Katara; someone who hadn't earned her time with the princess like Mai had, and who was of the lowest class in the world, being the one in Azula's bed at the end of the day.

When disparaging thoughts like that crossed Mai's mind, a grim, self-deprecating smile would stretch itself over the assassin's face. Oh yes; Azula would enjoy that irony alright.

And who was she to deny her princess _anything_?


	5. Iroh

**Iroh:**

Iroh, the first born son and child of Fire Lord Azulon was not going to make excuses and say that he hadn't ever had any opportunity at all to console his niece, comfort her, offer her support or even just set out some tea for the girl. He had. He had been given plenty of opportunities to show his niece that he cared about her just as much as he did her brother. He hadn't taken advantage of any of those opportunities. Iroh once wondered what his judgment in the afterlife would be for neglecting his niece, for not being there for her and not offering her a chance to fight against Ozai sooner.

Having many a times been appalled by the idea that a girl would act the way Azula did instead of acting like a double of her mother, Ursa. It had been a disgusting trait of his to bear almost his whole life until his son Lu Ten died and he had been forced to see that none of that mattered.

By then it had been too late. Ozai had sunk his claws too deeply into Azula.

But that had been no excuse; Iroh could see that now. He should have tried harder to reach Azula through the hate the firebender had used to protect herself with. Iroh knew now he was paying for it. He had been paying for it for practically seven years now. Ever since he had taken in his exiled and scarred nephew, the elderly retired former would be Fire Lord wondered what would have happened, had Zuko and Azula's roles been reversed that day at the Agni Kai, and Azula had been the one exiled, then would he have had the strength to council the younger firebender the same as he had Zuko? Would she have even accepted his help? He suspected not.

Azula's pride was too strong.

Pride. That was a terrible affliction. Iroh was ashamed to say that he himself had suffered from it for years before understanding that silly pride was only another obstacle to face in order to truly appreciate life. It had been his pride that kept him from realizing he was wrong for neglecting Azula and not acknowledging that she was just as much of a warrior-even more of a warrior than her brother and deserved an equal amount of attention. It was that pride that now was responsible for him being in this situation now.

He tried to make up for not being there for Azula, many, many times. Each and every time he offered to meditate with her, spar with her, firebend with her, offered her tea, tried to be of some comfort or use with his niece, she made her feelings quite clear to him.

She loathed him. Her behavior towards him had always been rude, vulgar and uncaring, but now that he was trying to offer solace to the damaged princess, she seemed to impress upon him just how much she abhorred his very existence even more.

Iroh always knew that it was his own fault. He had lost Lu Ten in Ba Sing Se and had immediately fixated his feelings on Zuko, as if the boy was a replacement son. He had never held out the possibility that he could help Azula and save her from his brother's manipulations. Iroh had never been afraid of Ozai. That was why his negligence of Azula was even more despicable. He had never been afraid of Ozai, but he had been afraid of Azula herself for a long time.

Yes, he wasn't afraid of a dictator that killed their father, but he had been afraid of a little girl who was a pawn in the dictator's game.

It was disgraceful. Even when he had been the prince of the Fire Nation, waiting to receive the flame crown of the Fire Lord when his father Azulon eventually passed on, he had been an adult, approaching his thirty-ninth birthday, and knew more than enough about responsibility; raiding a city, having married, ordered several armies and having raised a son of his own for up to seventeen years before his son perished, Iroh by all rights should know what being an adult meant.

Iroh didn't know when or how, but somehow, the firebender swore that one day he would make up for all that he had failed to do for his niece. He would beg her forgiveness and try to console her, even if it took him to his deathbed. It was his own fault for not being more attentive to Azula sooner. Iroh knew that. So he knew that he shouldn't be envious of Hakoda.

Hakoda, the father of Sokka and Katara the waterbender, and chief of the Southern Water Tribe village, had been spending time in the Fire Nation palace. Given that the war was over and Katara and Sokka now spent a good deal of time in the Fire Nation, their father decided he wanted to spend as much time with them as possible, so he came from the South Pole, apparently leaving his friend Bato in charge while he was at the palace with his children.

Iroh didn't know when the Fire Nation princess and the Southern Water tribe chief had met. He knew that Azula had spent six months for almost four years now in the South Pole with Hakoda's tribe, so he was aware that the firebender had had plenty of contact with the Water Tribe man. But just what was the connection between him and Azula?

Iroh watched Hakoda and Azula sometimes, against his conscience's words. He often couldn't help it, not when it came to this particular matter. He didn't want to admit it, but he was coming to realize that Azula and Hakoda had a strong bond. The firebdender would make a nonchalant or crude impolite remark and all the Southern Water Tribe man would laugh and say something that he thought was funny or wise and the dark haired princess would nod and lower her defenses. She'd give another crude response, but she'd digress at whatever it was Hakoda had said. Iroh knew that he had no right to be jealous, no right whatsoever. It didn't change that he was.

Iroh was considered wise by many. Many, except for his niece. Yet, his arrogant, stubborn, enraged and emotionally fractured niece accepted the solace that Hakoda, a fairly normal average man offered. Iroh was the prince and had been the first in line for the throne before Ozai took control. But that wasn't what hurt the elderly Dragon of the West. He was Azula's blood uncle. He had known her for years but he had never offered help to the young woman, not once till now. Now it was too late. She had chosen someone else with her secrets and to look up to, again.

Iroh knew he shouldn't be envious about Azula being loyal to Ozai. The man had been Azula's father; that shouldn't anger him like it did. What had twisted the knife right into Iroh's proverbial gut had been when he had walked out into the forest nearby the palace halls, where a bay into one of the main oceans was. There he found Hakoda and Azula, standing and fishing. It was an odd thing for him to see as he'd never imagine fishing to be something that Azula would ever participate in, at least not without immediate results. Both of them were holding brown bamboo made fishing poles, the threads perfectly straight as they dangled in the water.

Iroh had stepped closer, and had taken that moment to announce his presence.

_Iroh took notice of how Azula looked. Her dark hair wasn't in its topknot like it usually had been (but it hadn't been like that for years) her ebony hair had been properly cut and now was growing a little longer, a few inches past her shoulders in a neat, straight length. Her amber eyes were narrowed in concentration at the water. Iroh then coughed a little, realizing that this might be rather awkward, "Ah, I didn't realize that the bay would be such a good place for fishing."_

_Azula turned and glared at the older firebender. She was about to say something, most likely something cutting and angry when Hakoda started speaking, "It seemed like something that Azula could do in her spare time. She refuses to help Zuko in anyway, so she has a lot of free time."_

_Azula gave the Water tribe man a condescending look and then snipped out, "Zuko didn't earn his place on the throne. Besides, I don't want that throne anymore anyway, why would I involve myself in such nonsense? And at least these waters are warm. We don't have to worry about the lack of fish like we did in the South Pole. Honestly, it's a wonder how any of us-how any of your people are still alive."_

_Iroh didn't miss the words that Azula corrected. And neither did Hakoda. The Southern Water tribe lifted an eyebrow, looking at the princess, smiling, eyes gleaming with an emotion Iroh couldn't decipher. Azula saw how the Southern Water Tribe man was looking at her and scoffed, "Don't get sentimental, Hakoda. It was a slip of the tongue, nothing more. It was a reasonable thing to wonder."_

_The brunette warrior chuckled, turning back to the water as he fished, "You know that answer already. It's not my fault you got too frustrated and assumed that the fish wouldn't come into cold waters. Fishing takes patience which unfortunately you don't have a great deal of." The warrior added, giving a side grin to Azula, "But you have to admit, frozen fish has its appeal."_

_The Fire Nation princess snorted, "The world is blessed, for we don't just have one but two Sokkas." Iroh watched the princess carefully and noticed how her golden eyes appeared as they observed Hakoda._

_That was when Iroh's heart fell. He had seen Azula look at Ozai like that. Like Hakoda and Ozai were the only authority figures that she ever truly respected. It was at that moment that Iroh felt like the ultimate failure in the family. It wasn't Ba Sing Se, it wasn't Lu Ten's death, it was this very moment that made him feel like he had truly failed his family. He should have been the one there for Azula but now he saw the consequences of him not being a surrogate father for the dark princess and not being a source of strength for her. She had confided and put her trust in someone else; another adult figure who had proven to be far more dependable than he himself had been. _

_He didn't want to say it, even to himself but Iroh understood what that moment between Hakoda and Azula had been about. He understood the way Azula had looked at the Water Tribe man. After being abandoned by Ozai when he had declared himself the Phoenix King, her trust in any "father figures" or really anyone with authority had clearly diminished. It seemed that her trust had been repaired by this Hakoda. That was when Iroh realized that he couldn't stay on the bay with them anymore. It hurt too much to see those emotions in Azula's eyes that were indescribable and yet so clear and obvious. _

_And he had no one but himself to blame._

_As he turned and left, wishing them good hunting with the fishing, he noticed Azula glare at him over her shoulder before Hakoda placed a hand on that shoulder and she turned back to the water._

Even now as that memory played itself over in his mind, Iroh never got used to it. The Fire Nation princess had embraced a Water Tribe peasant as her father, ignoring his status in life and seeing him as worthy of guiding her into doing the right thing and teaching her.

But then, Iroh couldn't really blame her, could he? After all, unlike himself, Hakoda had _earned _his niece's respect.

The more Iroh thought about it, contemplated his life, drinking his tea, he realized that like everyone else in the world, he had only brought his fate on himself. He had been the one that chose to invade Ba Sing Se and had chosen to send his own son in, getting the peace-loving young man killed, he had been the one that had neglected to help Azula in any way and as a result she had gone into the council of the only adult with some sort of authority who had rightfully won the young woman's faith.

Iroh wasn't foolish enough to think anyone was safe from Agni's judgment, including himself. Stepping down from the throne might have made him safe from Ozai for so long, but karma had come around to show Iroh why he failed his family.

Now, whenever he saw Azula walk with Hakoda, stare at the Water Tribe man in a way that could only be described as respectful and admiringly and another emotion that Iroh had never thought he'd see in the firebender's eyes, but had been noticing a lot lately in her features. Adoration, affection.

Iroh had once thought Azula incapable of allowing those feelings creep onto her face. Hakoda and the Avatar and his group proved him very wrong.

Iroh had never done anything till now to aid Azula in her trials, but now it was too late, and for good reason. Now, Azula saw who her father was and he was there for her while Iroh never had been.

Funny, despite the war and the fall of Ba Sing Se, his son's death and Zuko's betrayal at Ba Sing Se, Iroh had never known what karma and what being a failure truly felt like, till now.

All he could do was pretend that he wasn't envious of Hakoda. He had never been one for envy, except for seeing how much Azula adored Ozai. But now, he knew exactly what the burn of envy was like. Hakoda taught him after all. Though he did not know the Southern Water Tribe chief at all, he might have had the former Fire Nation heir's jealousy, but also his respect. Hakoda had accomplished what Iroh had never been able to do. Hakoda had won Azula as a daughter. And Azula had made her choice. Azula had chosen who her father was. It wasn't Ozai and it certainly wasn't him.


End file.
